Stopper for boiler-tubes.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

H. T. MASON.

STOPPER FOR BOILER TUBES.

APPLIOATION FILED 1136.31, 1903. RENEWED SEPT. 18,1904.

Inventor Attorney Nirnn Snares Patented May 9, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

STOPPER FOR BOILER-TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,620, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed December 31, 1903. Renewed September 19, 1904. SerialNo. 225,086.

To a, whom it ntrty concern:

Be itknown that I, HENRY T. Mason, acitizen of the United States,residing at South Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stoppers forBoiler-Tubes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in stoppers for boiler-lines and.other tubes.

The object of the invention is to provide a stopper for a ruptured orleaky boiler-tube, whereby the same may be quickly closed.

A further object is to provide a stopper having a jointed sectionalconnecting-rod for connecting the two members of the stopper together.

A further object is to provide a stopper of this character which withbut slight modification Will be applicable to tubes other thanboiler-fines for sealing or bracing the same.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of part-s,as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewof a boiler-flue, showing the application of a stopper, the parts beingshown in the position they occupy before being drawn up into place. Fig.2 is a similar View showing the parts in clamped or operative position.Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is arear end view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showingthe application of the stoppers to a tubular shaft.

Referring particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a boiler-flue tube. 2denotes the tubesheets or boiler-heads into which the ends of thetubular fines are mounted. The improved stopper consists of two membersjoined together by a connecting-rod 3, which is preferably though notnecessarily made in two or more sections, the adjacent ends of which arepivotally connected together, this connection being made by reducing andthreading the inner end of the forward section and screw ing thereon acoupling member I, having ears or lugs 5, through which is inserted apivotpin or rivet 6. On the pin or rivet is mounted the inner end of therear section of rod. A pin 7 is inserted through the threaded end of theforward section of rod after the coupling member 4 is screwed onto thesame to prevent said coupling from being unscrewed therefrom.

Near the outer end of the forward section of the rod is formed ashoulder 8, and beyond the shoulder8 the end of the rod is threaded, theextreme end of the rod being squared, as at 9, for the reception of awrench.

On the end of the rod and engaging the shoulder 8 is arranged afrusto-conical-shaped expanding-head 10, on which is mounted a series ofradially-disposed segmental platesections 12, which are adapted to beforced by the head 10 into engagement with the inner side of theboiler-tube 1. Around the outer edge of the section 12 is formed agroove in which is arranged an open or snap ring 13, which holds saidsections in place on the head 10 and also permits them to be expanded bysaid head. On the outer face of the segmental sections is formed a head14.

On the rod 3 and in juxtaposition to the outer end of the boiler-tube isarranged a cap or clamping plate 15, which is of somewhat greaterdiameter than the tube, as shown. On the inner face of the cap-plate isformed an annular groove or channel 16, the diameter and size of whichare such as to engage the beaded or upset end of the boiler-tube whenthe parts are drawn up. In the groove 16 is disposed an annular packingring or washer 17, which engages the beaded end of the tube and forms aseal at this point. Between the groove 16 and the outer edge of theplate is formed an- 21, which is formed of some suitable elasticmaterial which when the parts are drawn up will spread out and engagethe inner walls of the tube and also tightly engage the sides of theconnecting-rod.

Surrounding the rod 3 in the outer face of the cap-plate is formed anannular recess 22, which is practically an enlargement of the openingthrough which the rod passes, and in said recess is disposed a packing23, which seals said opening around the rod. On the end of the rod andbearing on the outer face of the plate is an adjusting or tightening nut24 and engaging said nut is a jam-nut 25.

On the outer threaded end of the rear section of the connecting-rod ismounted a compression or clamping nut 26, which consists of a chamberedbody portion 27, on the outer end of which is formed an annular flange28, and in each end of the nut is formed a cen trally-disposed threadedhole 28, the inner ends of which communicate with the chamber I of thebody portion 27. In the hole at the inner end of the nut is screwed thethreaded end of the rear section of the rod 3, a jamnut 29 being alsoarranged on this end of the bolt to engage the end of the clamping-nut26. On the outer face of the flanged end of the nut is formed an annularbead 28'.

On the threaded hole at the outer end of the nut 26 is screwed the innerend of a threaded stem or bolt 30, on the outer end of which is formed afrusto-conical-shaped expanding-head 31, on which is arranged a seriesof radially-disposed segmental blocks or sections 32, around the outeredge of which is formed a groove in which is disposed an open or snapring by which said sections are held in place upon the head 31. Betweeneach section or block 32 and the adjacent end of the head 31 is arrangeda spring 33, said springs being preferably, and as here shown, coiledsprings, the inner ends of which are seated in recesses 31, formed inthe outer surface of the head 31, the object of the springs being tonormally force the segmental blocks or sections outwardly. The outeredges of the inner sides of the segmental sections are recessed to forman annular groove 35, which when the parts are drawn up is adapted toengage the bead on this end of the boiler-tube.

On the stem or bolt 30, adjacent to the inner side of the head 31, isarranged a sleeve 36, on the inner end of which is formed an annularflange 37. On the inner face of said flange is formed an annular bead38. Between the bead 38 and the bead 28 on the flanged end of the nut 2is arranged a circular-disk washer 39, which is similar in constructionto the washer 21 at the opposite end of the tube.

On the sleeve 36 and engaging the outer face of the flange iscircular-disk washer 40, having an enlarged outer edge which when theparts are drawn up engages the inner wall of the tube and, together withthe washer 39, seals this end of the tube.

In applying the stopper to a boiler-tube the length of the tube isobtained. This being done, the stopper members are adjusted on the endsof the rod-sections so that the packing-washers 21 and 1O willrespectively assume a position just beyond the beaded front and rearends of the tube. With the parts in the positions hereinbefore describedthe rear stopper is inserted into the front end of the tube and pushedthrough the same until the washer 10 reaches the position just outsidethe end of the tube, as previously mentioned. As soon as the sectionalblocks 32 pass out of the end of the tube they are expanded by thesprings A wrench is now applied to the squared end of the connecting-rodand the same is turned to the right, the threads on said rod beingarranged so that the compression or clamping nut will be turned by saidrod to draw the stem 30 and head 31 inwardly, causing the flanged sleeve36 to be forced against the washer 39, thereby compressing the samebetween the flanged end of the coinpression-nut 26 and the flange onsaid sleeve, which action expands the washer against the inner walls ofthe tube. ,In drawing the head 31 inwardly the sectional blocks will bebrought into engagement with the beaded end of the tube and also theenlarged edge of the washereO, coi'npressingsaid washer and formingadditional seals for this end of the tube.

In order that the front end of the tube will be tightly sealed, theconnecting-rod is now firmly held and a wrench applied to theadjusting-nut 2st, which is turned to force the cap inwardly, which willcompress the washer 21 between itself and the sectional plates 12,thereby expanding the washer 21 against the inner sides of the tubes atthis end and also forcing the sections 12 up on the conicalexpanding-head, which will expand the same in tight engagement with theinner sides of the tubes. The packing-rings on the inner face of thecap-plate will also be forced into engagement with the beaded end of thetube and the face of thetube-sheet, thereby doubly sealing this end ofthe tube. If desired, the outer section of the connecting-rod may beleft off and the threaded inner end of the forward section be engageddirectly with the inner end of the compression-nut, so that shouldaleal: occur near the forward end of the tube this end of the tube maybe stopped upon each side of the leaf without cutting out the entirelength of tube.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings is shown a slightlymodified form of stopper,which in this form is intended and shown as applied to atubular shaft tostrengthen and brace the same. \Vhen the stopper is used as shown inFig. 5, the cap-plate 15 is of a size to correspond to the diameter ofthe tube and is more in the nature of a clamping-plate. The washer 40 isalso left off in this form of the device. In applying the stoppermembers to a tubular shafting or the like they may be disposed at anypoint in the tube, as the members may now be arranged entirely withinthe tube, as shown. In this form one or more sections of theconnecting-rod may also be used, thereby lengthening or shortening thestopper, as desired.

A stopper constructed as herein described may be used for stopping orcapping the ends of all forms of tubing. The jointed sectionalconnecting-rod permits the same to be folded or separated into compactform for storing purposes and also permits the forming ofconnecting-rods of various lengths.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In aboiler-tube stopper, the combination with a sectional, jointedconnecting-rod,

of inner and outer expansible stopper members arranged at each end ofthe same, a compression or clamping nut adjustably secured to the rearend of the rod, an expansion-head having a threaded stem engaged by saidnut to draw said stem inwardly, radially-disposed segmental blockscarried and expanded by said head to engage the outer end of said tube,a washer arranged on said rod adjacent to said compression-nut, aclamping element arranged between said expanding-head and said nutwhereby said washer is compressed and expanded to engage the inner sidewall of said tube to seal this end of the same, a shoulder formed on theforward end of said rod, an expanding head engaged by said shoulder,expansive segmental plate-sections arranged on and expanded by saidhead, a clamping cap-plate arranged on said rod, a washer arrangedbetween said cap-plate and said segmental plate sections, and meanswhereby said cap-plate is moved to force said washer against saidsegmental plates to expand the washer into engagement with the innerwalls of the tube to seal the forward end of the same, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a tube-stopper of the character described, the combination with aconnectingrod made up of sections, the adjacent ends of which arepivotall y connected together, means for pivotall y connecting the same,said means consisting of a threaded coupling member to engage the innerend of one section and having ears 01' lugs between which is pivoted theadjacent end of the next section of rod, expansible stopper membersarranged at each end of the c0nnectingrod, and means actuated by saidrod to expand said members to close and seal said tube, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY T. MASON.

WVitn esses:

Josnrn TRUCKEY, JEAN H. TABER.

